The keenly awaited trial of Ajmal Kasab, sole surviving terrorist involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, was facing a further delay with the judge of the special court, M L Tahiliani, finding a conflict of interest in Anjali Waghmare defending Kasab.
Waghmare had on Tuesday told a special court that she needed a day to consider whether she would appear in the case, following protests at her residence on Monday night.
The trial in the Mumbai terror attack case opened on Friday with the sole surviving terrorist Mohammed Amir Ajmal Kasab seeking retraction of his confession and the prosecution hinting at Pakistan army's involvement in training him and the other terrorists, who were killed.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday criticised Anjali Waghmare, appointed by the government to defend Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal Kasab, saying it was "shameful" on her part to appear on behalf of a terrorist.
Judge M L Tahiliyani, while deciding on the date for the start of the trial, said a lawyer from the Maharashtra Service Legal Authority, Anjali Waghmare, has been appointed to represent him. Tahiliyani informed Kasab that advocate Waghmare from the state legal aid would represent him and another lawyer would be appointed to assist her.
According to Lam, Waghmare had sought instructions from this witness and even signed a Vakalatnama to help him seek compensation. She had kept the court in dark about this development, Lam alleged. He contended that Waghmare cannot accept brief of accused Kasab if she had decided to appear for a witness in the same case.
Over 100 activists staged a protest and pelted stones at the residence of Anjali Waghmare, appointed by a special court to represent Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the terror attack on Mumbai in November last year, on Monday night. Following the attack, Waghmare has reportedly withdrawn from the case, but no official confirmation about her withdrawal was available.
The special court appointed Anjali Waghmare (40), a lawyer with the Maharashtra Service Legal Authority, to defend Kasab in the November 26 terror strike, which is likely to begin on April 6 in the high security Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.
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